Ice Storm in a Tiny House

Courtesy of KFOR.com

All week forecasters had been calling for an ice storm that would butt up against Oklahoma City. I am an hour east of Oklahoma City as the crow flies, so I had a good idea that storm would impact us as well. No matter what the forecasters say, it is best to be prepared just in case. Wednesday I did a little extra food shopping for some fresh, not frozen food, so I could avoid opening the freezer if the power should go out. I double-checked to make sure I had enough propane for the grill so we could cook, and I made sure the kerosene heaters had fuel. I have plugged all my electronic devices in to make sure they have a full charge. I got the homestead prepared for power failure and am just going with the flow at this point. 

Be Prepared for a Power Outage

Powerful Thunder Storm 

Last night I saw a flicker off in the distance. Lightening. Rain was not in the forecast last time I checked, but in Oklahoma weather changes from hour to hour. Off in the distance was a storm. An hour later my weather monitor went off alerting that I was directly in the path of the storm and that it was packing some high winds and hail. I was in for a rough storm and possibly a power outage, but I was not worried. It is not uncommon to lose power out in the sticks. In fact, it is not uncommon in the city to lose power during a good thunder-boomer. Rolling blackouts and brownouts are common in larger cities during heat waves. Sometimes power outages happen for no apparent reason. 

An Oklahoma storm
off in the distance

I was not worried about losing power at all simply because I am prepared. In fact, losing power this time of year is a cake walk compared to losing power in the dead of winter or during a heat wave. However, with winter rapidly approaching I thought I would take this opportunity to review how I prepared for a potential power outage, no matter the time of year. Perhaps you can take some ideas from my preparations.

It's Raining, It's Pouring - Finally Rain In The Desert

It's raining, it's pouring, this old lady is...

      LOVING EVERY DROP OF IT!

This weekend it is supposed to rain consistently. I know, I know, you live where it rains and you would just love the sunshine of Arizona. Well, after 31 years in Arizona (minus a couple here and there), I am ready for weather. I want rain. I want snow. I want cloudy days.

In order to grow things we must have rain. We must have rain and snow melt in order to keep our wells full, rivers running, crops watered. Our gardens cannot grow and our animals will not survive if we do not have rain. This has me thinking about Oklahoma. I wonder how much rain and snow they get as compared to Arizona. So I decided to do some research this evening and compare them. Here is what I learned:

Annual Rainfall:
Arizona: 8.3 inches
Oklahoma: 40.81 inches

Average Snowfall:
Northern Arizona: 24.6
Oklahoma: 7.8 inches

Average Number of Days with Temp Over 100:
Arizona:  92
Oklahoma: 15

So, what does this data tell me? It tells me I won't have to worry about being snowed in very often AND I may still need an air conditioning unit for a few days a month. It also tells me that I will enjoy rain more frequently!

Do you enjoy the rain? How much rain do you get where you live vs Arizona? Comment below so we can learn about the climate where you live.